Exploring the city. Valorisation of culture through situated and informal learning

Abstract

This paper presents some research activities in the field of Location Based Services to promote and valorize culture across the city and trigger informal and situated learning. Three initiatives in the cultural domain that use LBSs as a tool to communicate contextual knowledge across urban space are presented. Two of these examples are more specifically focused on the tour guide paradigm: a bilingual application designed to valorize the work of Achille Castiglioni, and a project designed to reveal Milan’s architectural heritage through the work of several renowned Politecnico di Milano graduates. The third is an adult game for promoting and spreading the culture of design, offering a fun, informal learning opportunity. This study considers both the valorization of cultural assets and the learning outcome achieved through active, physical exploration of the city.